ABSTRACT
Objective To assess the clinical predictability of waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) among female civil servants who had experienced risk factors of cardiovascular disease. Methods Data was gathered from 4153 female civil servants aged 21-91 y working at universities who were enrolled in health screening centre at the Second Hospital Attached to Hebei Medical University, in 2006. WHR quartiles were determined as: <0.80, 0.80-<0.84, 0.84-<0.90 and ≥0.90. Subjects were placed into high-risk categories for cardiovascular disease on the basis of national health reference on range norms of protocol including hypertension, diabetes mellitus and dyslipidemia. Results Participants had an increased likelihood of hypertension (systolic blood pressure) , dyslipidemia (elevated triacylglycerol and descending HDL-C) and diabetes mellitus at WHR≥0.84. All aforementioned variables had a significant odds ratio at WHR ≥0.84. This trend was further persisted after adjustment had been made on smoking, age, and BMI. Descended HDL-C was observed at the 0.80≤WHR<0.84 when compared with WHR< 0.80. Conclusion These data indicated an upward shift in the critical threshold for WHR to ≥0.84. Above which point, there was an elevation of risk factors on cardiovascular diseases among all the female civil servants. The trend persisted regardless of smoking, BMI <or ≥28 and at what age group, among the civil servants population.